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7 Ways to Stop Your Ponytail Damaging Your Hair

We all love ponytails. They’re chic, sassy and perfect for hiding greasy roots (erm, not that we ever have those…) They work just as well at a bar as they do at the gym, and they’re perfect in the summer for keeping our hair off our faces and necks. The bad news is that regularly wearing your hair in a high, tight pony can result in hair damage – and in some extreme cases, permanent hair loss. Luckily, there are a few tips and tricks our stylists love for keeping your ponytail healthy and preventing damage. Read on to find out what they are!

1. Never tie your hair up when it’s wet. Our hair is weakest when wet, so the usual dents and snags that can happen in a dry ponytail can be even worse if the hair is damp. Make sure your hair has dried thoroughly before you tie it up.

2. Use a serum on your hair before putting it into a pony. This will help the tie to glide over hair without pulling or snagging it – and add a healthy dose of shine too! Take a look at our range of serums to find the right one for you.

3. Give your hair a break with different styles. High ponytails are the worst offenders for causing hair breakage and stress, especially if they’re pulled tightly. If you need to have your hair up regularly and can’t get away with a few ‘down days’, try to switch between high ponytails and low, loose styles. Half-up styles are also a great way to keep your hair off your face while minimising the strain on your locks.

4. Wear your hair down to sleep. To give your scalp some recovery time, our stylists recommend leaving your hair loose when you go to sleep. If you really need to tie it up, try to sleep on silk or satin pillowcases rather than cotton – your hair will glide over the fabric rather than pull as you move in the night.

5. Use fabric hair ties. This is one of the most important tips for a healthy ponytail: throw away your old hair ties! Any bands with metal on them are likely to catch on your hair, while tight elastics leave your hair dented and can snag. Instead, choose hair ties made from fabric. Our favourites are from Popband. All Popbands are soft and stretchy, and won’t leave a dent or kink in your hair. As well as being really kind to your hair, they also come in a range of cute designs, so they look just as good when worn on the wrist!

6. Don’t pull the hairline too tightly. If you’re pulling all of your hair into a pony, try to be careful around your hairline. This is where your hair is the weakest, so a lot of stress here can lead to breakage and even bald patches. Leave the front of your hair looser for a tousled, undone finish (much more on-trend, too).

7. Be careful when taking your hair down. Tugging the tie out of your hair is the quickest way to cause snapping so instead, take your time to unravel the hair tie and let your hair down gently.

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